Every spring, students must decide on places to live for the next school year. Their decisions, however, often hinge on factors beyond cost and convenience.

The main options students have to choose from are the ISU residence halls or an off-campus apartment or house.

The residence halls, which include Buchanan Hall and Frederiksen Court, had contracts become available Dec. 6.

Kari Hancock, program coordinator for the Department of Residence, said many things are done to try to attract students to live in the dorms and Frederiksen Court.

Among them are increasing the speed of Ethernet connections at no charge to students, allowing returning students to choose their rooms using the online program Step Inside and restructuring the Fresh Start program.

Costs for living on campus vary by room size and number of roommates, with the cheapest rooms being $3,231 per academic year for doubles in Richardson Court, according to the Department of Residence’s Web site.

The most expensive on-campus accommodations are $6,492 per calendar year for a renovated two-bedroom in Schilletter Village.

Hancock said the Department of Residence is changing the regulations for living in Schilletter-University Village apartments to allow single students over 21 years old.

She said Schilletter-University Village is similar to Frederiksen Court, except students are allowed to have pets and roommates of mixed gender.

Dorm living also requires students to have a meal plan, which costs anywhere from $1,637 to $3,444, according to the Department of Residence Web site.

Students in on-campus apartments, like Frederiksen Court, are not required to have meal plans.

Jeff Sibert, senior in electrical engineering and residence adviser in Wilson Hall, said he chose to live on campus because he felt it was easier.

“I lived off campus last year,” Sibert said.

“I had four roommates and we were always fighting. Everyone always wanted to have their own piece of the pie.”

Sibert also said he likes the food service provided by living in the dorms.

“I can’t cook,” he said. “I didn’t eat very well when I lived off campus.”

For students wishing to live off campus, however, there are also many housing options available.

According to the 2002 rental survey on the City of Ames Web site, average rent for apartments in Ames ranges from $484 per month for a one bedroom to $1,121 per month for a four bedroom.

Vanessa Baker-Latimer, Ames’ housing coordinator, said the most recent rental housing survey in Ames was conducted in 2002.

“The numbers could be up, down, either way,” she said. “I’m looking to do an updated study for 2005.”

Amenities in off-campus housing can be numerous, and range from individual garages to paid utilities.

Russ McCullough, partner of Ev Cochrane and Associates, said off-campus housing offers different things to students than on-campus housing does.

“It’s a little bit different being off campus,” he said.

“There’s a little bit more freedom, more independence.”

McCullough also said students like off-campus housing because of greater ratio of bathrooms per tenant compared to the dorms and also because of the proximity to campus and Campustown.

Melissa Day, sophomore in music, said she had many reasons for wanting to live off campus, but the main reason was money.

“It’s a little cheaper,” she said. “I like being able to cook whatever I want. It’s more private; I don’t have to share my room.”